Architectural acoustical construction



May 23, 1933. J. H. NASH ARCHITECTURAL ACOUSTICAL CONSTRUCTION 2 Sheets-She Filed July 21, 1925 Ma 23, 1933. J, H AS 1,910,628

ARCHITECTURAL ACOUSTICAL CONSTRUCTION Filed July 21, 1925 v 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 objections to the known practices of mak- Patented May 23, 1933 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE JOSEPH HAROLD NASH, OF NARBEBTH, PENNSYLVANIA, ASSIGNOR TO JOHNS-MAN- VILLE, INCORPORATED, OF NEW YORK, N. Y., A CORPORATION OF NEW YORK ARCHITECTURAL ACOUSTICAL CONSTRUCTION Application filed July 21, 1925. Serial No. 45,020.

This invention relates to acoustically deadened wall and ceiling structures and to a method of constructing, and a structure for, the walls, ceilings and partitions of a building which shall be non-reflective and non-transmissive of sound. Prior constructions successful in an acoustic sense are nevertheless objectionable in many respects, among which are in general lack of adaptability to many kinds of architectural wall surfaces, necessity for use of specially shaped frames and furrings, necessity to provide suitably disposed elements in the wall to which such frames may be secured, poor mechanical supportfor the felt or other fibrous material usually relied upon, the consequent limitation in the area of surface which can be constructed without interruption by mouldings or cross pieces of framework, the labor required for initial installation, and the objections incident to a perforate wall or ceiling surface, or to having to provide special materials for the architectural construction proper, in contradistinction to mere surface layers adapted for application to walls of whatever kind.

Objects of the invention are to overcome ing and constructions for acoustically deadened walls, to provide an anti-resonant, antireflecting and echo-suppressing construction for building interiors, and at the same time to secure the benefits of an improved appearance and texture, facility of construction. and adaptability to all usual architectural surfaces; and other objects.

The invention provides materials constituting a porous layer incapable of transmitting or reflecting an acoustic wave combined and associated with means providing an effective attachment to the surface or surfaces to be treated, and means providing an acoustically non-responsive exposed face support ed in such relation to said porous layer as to utilize its sound-deadening properties; If desired, the exposed surface may be continuous over great areas, and mayfollow exactly the architectural form of pilasters, coves, arches and recessed or projecting paneling or means for fastening the face portion to the ornament of the architectural structure without breaks or exposed joints.

Preferred embodiments only of the invent1on, illustrative only of modes of practical application will now be described with reference to the accompanying drawings, in

Fig. 1 is a perspective view-of an assembled unfinished group of applied units;

Fig. 2 is a perspective view of a single unit showing a corner of the face portion uplifted;

Fig. 3 is a plan view of a square unit;

Fig. 4 is an enlarged cross section showing backing portion;

5 is a plan view of a hexagonal unit;

Flg. 6 is an enlarged cross section broken away, of a backing portion and two face portions in their completed relation;

Fig. 7 is a similar cross section, showing face portions treated to provide a continuous face surface;

Fig. 8 is an elevation of a face portion having one kind of surface;

Fig. 9 is an enlarged section of the construction of Fig. 7, parts being incomplete;

Fig. 10 is an elevation partly broken away, showing a face portion and illustrative of stages of a modified treatment;

Fig. 11 is an enlarged section, parts being brpiken vaway, of the construction of Fig. 8; an

Fig. 12 is a fragmentary section of a preferred complete structure of the kind also illustrated by Figs. 8 and 11.

Referring to the drawings, there is illustrated in Fig. 1 an assembly of co-fitting, sound-proof like units 1 made up of a base 3 of asbestos mill board or other relatively strong sheetmaterial, and a superimposed sound-proofing face portion 4 fixed to the base, in offset relation, for example by a cementitious adhesive layer 5, preferably of al waterproof cement such as bichromated g us.

The base portion 3 maybe provided with siutably spaced holes 6, or is adapted to be punctured by fastening means such as the nails 8. Alternatively, the units 1 may be tionship is independent of the shape of the units so lon as they may interfit with the overhung e ges 11 of ortions 4 in overlapping relationship to t e uncovered portion of the base of the next adjacent unit upon an area totally covered by the abutted bases 3. For example, hexagonal base portions 3, Fig. 5, and facing portions 4, and many other repetitious or interfitting shapes, are suitable for these wall units. In each case a lateral margin 21 is exposed to be overlapped b the facing portion 4 or 4', or the like, of t e next unit.

The facing portions 4 may comprise a medial web of burlap 15 and upper and lower la ers 16, 17 of loose hair or coarse fiber conjoined by interpenetrating fibers passing from layer to layer through the textile layer 15, as may be done-by needling to provide a familiar form of laminated hair or fiber and textile sheet of familiar usa e. Preferably the backing portion is left ree, whatever the fastening means, at an area or corner 19 opposite the exposed surface 21 to facilitate driving a nail 8. Affixing the per tions 4 to the bases 3 may be asdesired, instead of by a cement, for example by wire staple 26, Fig. 4, penetrating the burlap 15 and the base 3. The hairy material of the uppgr surface closes over the staple as shown at 2 In the construction of soundproof walls a plurality of such units are successively laid, in abutting relationship, on the surface of the wall proper or other architectural supporting structure A, Fig. 12. The marginal overhangs of each facing portion 4 overlie the corresponding free faces 21 of the bases'3 of adjacent units, which may receive a coat of cemen silch as glue or bichromated glue, and,i as a; nsequence of the uniformity and equality irifsize and shape of the backing and facingportions, the edges 11, 12, of the portions closely fitting contacts throughout "thef' 'construction. The bases-3 may vary in-flexibility; for convex or'concave surfaces, it thus provided to have a series of units c ntaining flexible bases fol low closely the architectural surface to be rendered non-responsive to sound. The edges of the facing portions of adjacent units may be cemented together by applying a layer of glue or cement. ,1

The relatively flat but villous outer surface, formed by the facingportions of the units as thus laid, may now be combed with a steel comb or brushed with a wire brush, or both. This tends to equalize the outer surface of the fibers by raising a nap of greater extent at low places, and to make the surface uniform by concealing the joints by the overlaid nap or ile, which provides a continuous surface of a texture of effective sound-dampening quality of a good appearance without further treatment. The villous surface of the units is, however, admirably adapted for decorative treatment without damage to the sound-reflecting or soundtransmitting inhibition of the thick and loose fibrous layers.

The leveled and equalized surface may be prepared to support a decorative or appearance-modifying layer, surfacev or separated surfaces, by applying a layer of sizing, at 30, Figs. 7 and 8. Satisfactory sizes are suitable water-soluble starches ordextrine; any dilute 'glue or gum, or a sodium silicate solution; but preferred materials are waterproof when dry. One satisfactory finish is comprised of a layer 31 of any unbleached textile gauze, such as ordinary plain woven unbleached cotton gauze or cheesecloth, of from twenty to fifty warps or wefts to the inch; but leno gauzes, plain or figured tulles, laces or nets of linen, cotton, ramie or other textile yarns are intended materials of this construction and invention. This textile layer is adhesively aflixed, the size applied to the villous surface of the units 1 serving in the usual case as the adhesive.

The acoustic effect of the hairy mass back of the surface afforded by any superficial treatment of the units is not altered so long as the surfacing material is flexible, porous or broken incontinuity, and is very little altered when the surface applied is continuous, if the surfacing material is flexible.

The net or cheese-cloth structures. are sufficiently flexible and porous, even when laden with surfacing or decorative paint, to give fulleflect to the inhibitory property of the villous matter behind them. Since the principaluses of architectural acoustic material are in carefully designed interiors such as churches, public halls, oflice and school rooms, capacity to provide a surface of as good appearance as plaster, stone, paint or wall paper is of the utmost importance.

To' these ends the textile layer maybe paintedf'either by brush or spray with any suitable-paint as shown as 35, Fig. 12. An approved surface, for example, comprises any suitable paint body with a considerable admixture of coarse ground plaster so as to dry with a dead or mat finish. But as shown in 9, any suitable paint may be applied directly as at 32 to the sized surface 30. Or. if desired as shown in Fig. 10, the sized surfacewhile wet may be treated with thrown, blown or sprinkled sand, as shown at 33.

This sand coat may be left as the ultimate finish of the wall surface; or as shown at 34 aaint layer may be laid over the sand.

his range of alternative surface construction permits many interesting architectural interior effects. For example, sanded surfaces may very well have the surface coloring and texture of well-known interior finish stone surfaces; the sized felt surface may have an imitation of such stones as travertine made upon it b bein painted with thick or tacky paint d i'aggerf over the surface, discontinuously; and the textile surface is capable of decorative treatment to any effect and extent desired.

It will be observed that in each of the constructions alternatively recommended, the villous surface of the hair or fibrous hairy outer layer supports the ultimate decorative surface. This supporting substratum of a pile or nap of hairs or discrete fibres has great capacity to yield, especially to the rapid vibrations of induced motion of the surface under the impact of a sound wave in the air in contact with it. This construction is singglarly effective for the purpose in hand.

far as I am aware, this invention for the first time provides for the disqualification of an architectural surface as a sound transmitter or reflector without imposing any limitation upon the form or surface appearance of the architectural surface constituted by the acoustic protection.

What I claim is:

1. An architectural acoustic construction comprising a base and a flexible ultimate surface supported from behind by a villous nap erected from a hairy layer attached to said base.

2. A construction unit for architectural acoustic constructions comprising a flexible base, and a facing portion of hairy material with irregular organic structure attached to said base in offset relation, said facing portion having a villous pile adapted to support a decorative surface.

3. An architectural acoustic construction comprising abutting bases, and a hairy layer of similar surface dimensions attached to each said base in ofl'set relation by a waterproof cement, said hairy layer bearing a villous pile or nap, and a textile layer supported on said pile or nap.

4. An architectural acoustic construction comprising abutting bases, and a hairy layer of similar surface dimensions attached to each said base in offset relation by a waterproof cement, said hairy layer bearing a villous pile or nap, and a textile layer continuous from unit to unit supported on said pile or nap.

5. An architectural acoustic construction of units comprising a flexible body made as a hairy mass containing a woven fabric between its parallel inner and outer faces, the

hairy mass and the intervening fabric being penetrated transversely to its plane faces by loops of the hair thrust through the intervenmg fabric, said material having a foraminous exterior layer held in adhesive relationship to the outer surface projections of the hairy mass constitutin said outer layer, and comprising a layer 0 a relatively hard film-forming body, such as paint, extending unbroken over the junctures between said units.

6. An architectural acoustic construction comprlsing separate units in ed e-abutting relationship, each of a flexible dy made of a hairy mass and an intervening woven fabric, and each independently attached to the architectural interior surface, the hairy mass and the intervening fabric being penetrated transversely to plane faces of said units by loops of the hairy material thrust through the intervening fabric, said material having a formaminous exterior layer held in adhesive relationship to the outer surface projections of the hairy bodies constituting said outer layer, and comprising a layer of a relatively hard film-forming body, such as paint.

7. An architectural acoustic construction comprising a flexible sheet body made of a hairy mass and an intervening woven fabric, the hairy mass and the intervening fabric being penetrated transversely to its exterior and interior faces by loops of the hairy material thrust through the intervening fabric, said material having a non-continuous or open exterior layer held in adhesive relationship to the outer projections of the hairy bodies constituting said outer layer, and bearing a discontinuous layer of a relatively hard film-forming body, such as paint, and a texture-giving inclusion, such as sand or coarse plaster.

8. The combination with a structural surface of a sealing acoustic treatment connected thereto including a relatively stiff internal layer of composition material, an intermediate imposed layer of felt in intimate contacting association with said internal layer, and an external exposed membrane in intimate contacting association with the layer of felt.

9. The combination with a surface to be treated, of a plurality of acoustic units associated therewith in abutting relation, each unit comprising a backing board, a felt layer and a membrane, and means engaged between the surface and the backing board for positioning each unit.

10. An acoustic treatment for surfaces comprising a layer of hairy felt and a discontinuous surface of paint applied directly thereto.

11. An acoustic treatment for surfaces comprising a layer of sound absorbing material, a layer of foraminous material and a coating ex 'sed to the atmosphere upon the outer sur ace of the foramlnous material through which foraminous material and coating sound waves pass to be absorbed by the sound absorbing qualities of the first named layer.

12. prising a layer of sound absorbing material, a layer of flexible foraminous material and a coatin of paint exposed to the atmosphere upon t e outer surface of the flexible foraminous material through which flexible foraminous material and coating sound waves pass to be absorbed by the sound absorbing qualities of the first named layer.

Signed by me at Phi adelphia, Pa., this 14th day of Jul 1925.

J O EPH HAROLD NASH.

An acoustic treatment of surfaces com- 

